The Final Few: Our Story

[b]12/24/2014-Final Update:[/b] Wow, I can't believe it's been nearly 5 years since the original Halo 2 servers were shut down (and over 10 years since Halo 2 came out!). It's amazing how much has changed since then. With the release of Destiny, bungie.net is a completely different entity than it was when this thread was created. We are in a whole new generation of gaming, so it's not surprising to see how different the community is here now. I know some of you have stuck around since before the darkness; this thread is mostly for you guys. This thread was originally meant to be sort of a protest to the discontinuation of Halo 2 XBL matchmaking, but now this is no longer necessary. The Master Chief Collection has given Halo fans what we have been wanting since the servers were shut down. Halo 2 really set the standard for what competitive online gaming should be like, and I'm so glad that the current generation of gamers will be able experience what made the previous generations so great. I wanted to personally thank all of the people who have kept this thread somewhat alive over the years. You guys have proven that Halo is more than just a game. Not many things in this world can create such a deeply shared passion by so many people across the globe, but Halo proved to be one of those things. So many unlikely friendships were formed, so many memories were made, and so much fun was had. Refusing to let Halo 2 die was my way of thanking the community and thanking Bungie for the good times you have given me. The nostalgia I have of the early Halo days will never go away, but the MCC will allow us to relive those memories once again. So, once again, I wanted to thank Bungie and 343 Industries for making this possible. And I wanted to thank the Halo and Bungie community for sharing this passion with me.
(If you guys ever want to play some swords and snipes on lockout, add me on XBL: Agent Windex. Hopefully, I'll have an Xbox One sometime next year)
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[quote][b]The original thread is posted below. I hope it brings back some good memories and lots of nostalgia. Thanks guys![/b][/quote]
As all of you know, the Xbox Live servers were shut down for all Xbox original games on April 14, 2010. A small, dedicated group of Halo 2 players didn't agree with this, and did everything they could to not let the game die. As long as we didn't shut off our Xboxes, or lose connection in any way, we would still be able to play Halo 2 online. At first there were over 500 people that had kept their Xboxes on after the servers were shut down, but that quickly decreased to less than 100. Many players had lagged out, and some players Xboxes actually overheated. In the end, were able to keep Halo 2 alive for nearly 1 month longer than it should have been.
You may ask why we did this. Everyone has their own reason, but mostly it was for the love, and memory, of Halo 2. For some, it was to show their disapproval to Microsoft for shutting off Halo 2 so we could have more friends on our friends list. (Which is apparently why they shut down the servers, and that update still hasn't happened!)
A lot of us became really good friends.
For a while, we had 'T0 Be Continued' live streaming all of our games, until her xbox regrettably froze while playing custom games. Then, 'Mr7ankjump' did a live stream, but he lagged out only 4 hours later. 'Z0mbie Stench' was doing a live stream every day after those 2 lagged out, but sadly she was kicked off because of connection trouble. XXBooker DXX was the final live streamer.
I would like to thank everyone who followed our story, all of your support really inspired us to stay on as long as possible. Also, I would like to thank all of the Final Few, you guys are awesome and it was an honor playing with you. Also, I would like to thank [url=http://www.GamesRadar.com/]GamesRadar.com[/url] for giving out F&F beta codes for the final 12.
There are no longer any Halo 2 players online. Here are the names of the Final 52, in order of not being kicked offline.
1.APACHE N4SIR
2.Agent Windex
3.Lord Odysseus11
4.xxMAKDADYxx
5.DirtyCajun
6.Aforeignobject
7.XXBooker DXX
8.HiredN00bs
9.Rob2D
10.Z0mbie Stench
11.H20 Shoagie
12.Sherlok 1
13.SieferSword
14.Detenn
15.WGL Gonzo
16.MangledRex
17.XYOX
18.Anelf3
19.DeadlyChippy
20.Bond WM
21.Lockepyker
22.BillFromChicago
23.Mr7ankJump
24.NoName Nomad
25.T0 Be Continued
26.Family Fry
27.Hal0 HuLk
28.slater ohm
29.Dustyn1001
30.Milhouse06
31.Se7enUpMustang
32.TS Smokz
33.HummpaDummp
34.Crazy Kai
35.Wopsle
36.RomeoDude
37.xxxPuNiiSheRxxx
38.A Snoopkat
39.Keneken
40.xzzy
41.Nedge
42.TubbyKarma304
43.Lucky v1
44.Dragonslayer91
45.vxv frosty vxv
46.coppertop101
47.Osgray
48.MazeltovKoktail
49.Envoyyy JG
50.ssr14
51.Trent4now 05
52.One Eyed Monky
27-52 are complete guesses, I just wanted to make sure their names were listed. Feel free to correct anything on this list.
Our message was heard throughout all of the internet. There were many articles written about what we did, on almost every gaming website. Here are some of the articles:
[url=http://www.slashgear.com/dedicated-halo-2-players-keep-online-gaming-going-2783371/]Slash Gear's Article[/url]
[url=http://www.gamestooge.com/2010/04/26/never-say-die-halo-2-fans/]Game Stooge's Article[/url]
[url=http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/042310-halo-2-players-keep-original.html]Network World's Article[/url]
[url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/100219-Halo-2-Players-Refuse-to-Leave-Xbox-Live]Escapist Magazine's Article[/url]
[url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/news/214933/dozens-of-halo-2-players-keep-original-xbox-online-gaming-alive/]Game Pro's Article[/url]
[url=http://www.games-inet.com/news-dozens-of-halo-2-players-keep-original-xbox-online-gaming-alive_369.html]Games Inet's Article[/url]
[url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20003533-17.html]Cnet's Article[/url]
[url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/people-still-playing-halo-2-somehow]Eurogamer's Article[/url]
[url=http://www.maxconsole.net/content.php?39820-LOL-Halo-2-players-refuse-to-quit-Xbox-LIVE-keep-playing-until-consoles-freeze]Max Console's Article[/url]
[url=http://kotaku.com/5525837/fourteen-halo-2-fans-refuse-to-let-it-die]Kotaku's Article[/url]
[url=http://thegamingliberty.com/index.php/2010/04/28/halo-2-fans-refuse-to-let-halo-die/]The Gaming Liberty's Article[/url]
[url=http://slashdot.org/story/10/04/28/0754207/Dedicated-emHalo-2em-Fans-Keep-Multiplayer-Alive]Slashdot's Article[/url]
[url=http://www.videogamer.com/news/halo_2_players_keep_game_alive.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter]VideoGamer.com's Article[/url]
[url=http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/704188/halo-2-refuses-to-die-gamers-still-playing-over-xbox-live.html]G4 TV's Article[/url]
[url=http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3179031]1up's Article[/url]
[url=http://gizmodo.com/5526334/halo-2-superfans-refuse-to-let-the-dream-die]Gizmodo's Article[/url]
[url=http://tweakers.net/nieuws/67039/fans-houden-xbox-game-halo-2-online-in-leven.html]Tweaker's Article (Dutch)[/url]
[url=http://www.switched.com/2010/04/27/gamers-refuse-to-turn-off-xboxes-keep-playing-halo-2-online/]Switched's Article[/url]
[url=http://www.freexboxcheats.com/halo-2-lives-on-with-the-help-of-14-gamers]Free Xbox Cheats' Article[/url]
[url=http://www.onenewspage.com/news/Technology/20100427/10444016/Gamers-Refuse-to-Turn-Off-Xboxes-Keep-Playing.htm]One News Page's Article[/url]
[url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6260513.html]Gamespot's Article[/url]
[url=http://www.gamereactor.de/Blogs/christian+gaca/279]Game Reactor's Article (German)[/url]
[url=http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/29/halo-2-still-kinda-alive-thanks-to-some-fans/]Joystiq's Article[/url]
[url=http://www.xbox-news.com/e9490.html]XNews' Article (Japenese)[/url]
[url=http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/archives/204921.asp]Seattlepi's Article[/url]
[url=http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/108/1086645p1.html]IGN's Article[/url]
[url=http://videogames.yahoo.com/events/plugged-in/stay-in-the-fight-halo-2-superfans-keep-game-alive/1397830]Yahoo's Article[/url]
[url=http://www.gamesradar.com/f/exclusive-interview-halo-2s-final-players-share-their-stories/a-2010051415103021070]GamesRadar Interview[/url]
Halo 2: Final Few Montages: (Thanks to Slater Ohm) Amazing videos, some of the last Halo 2 montages ever made.
[url=http://youtu.be/BYthxCUE7dw]Episode 1[/url]
[url=http://youtu.be/Zb6Q6ZbB5HE]Episode 2 (no audio)[/url]
[url=http://youtu.be/2Hegzh2gS5s]Episode 3[/url]
[url=http://youtu.be/gp9qOMTfAMU]Episode 4[/url]
[Edited on 02.04.2012 11:25 PM PST] [b][/b] [b][/b]

This brought a tear to my eye. I was 19 when the servers went down. And I had sent my xbox to A repair facility to fix it. I never had a chance to play in the final weeks. Salute to the final few. Godspeed.

"For us, the storm has passed... the war is over. But let us never forget those who journeyed into the howling dark and did not return. For their decision required courage beyond measure; sacrifice, and unshakable conviction that their fight... our fight, was elsewhere. As we start to rebuild, this hillside will remain barren, a memorial to heroes fallen. They ennobled all of us, and they shall not be forgotten."

Ive always loved this thread. My first halo was 3. From that game, I've made so many good memories, and friends. I wasn't a spartan when 2 came out, man, i don't even remember the release year. I was probably in like 1st grade. But Halo is one of those parts of my life ill never forget. Spartans never die.

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] dreamslayer90
3 things.
1. I'm pretty sure I was part of the final 50. I was on long after it was shut down, so that list doesn't look quite right.
[/quote]
you got off really early on.. we thought there was 50 early on because we didnt realize bungie.net didnt count people who were idle and not playing.. we didnt get down to the final 50 till like over a week after halo 2 went down

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] Deadly Chippy
[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] TheFifthSign
[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] joe campbell
I really have no idea, if we don't find out for sure, I'll just give #26. to Family Fry and 27. to RvBSniper[/quote]
That seems to be the best course of action. We'll probably have to do something like that with most of the people afterwards since no one really updated individually before 25. Thanks to several lists of those online at the time though, we can get a good range of where someone was. Perhaps do something like 26/27: Family Fry and RvBSniper?
[/quote]
we still need to take people like T0 BE CONTINUED and legendary117 into account as well.[/quote]
To be continued is #25.
I have no idea what number Legendary is.